Electrical signaling system for elevators



March 20, 1934. c. E. HAMMl-:LL 1,951,791

ELECTRICAL SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR ELEVATORS Filed Dec. 7. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l w h 11%* mE nu lllll IIIIII E --1 mm Ill H s M' m' NEI s *MIM L mu i I il k mi: 22 E* E s IR *$39 www j k BY,

www f I ATTO EY March zo, 1934. c, E. HAMM-LLY 1,951,791

ELECTRICAL SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR ELEVATORS Filed Dec. 7, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR 'ar-ZesEffmmel,

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acum P01' MEQMENTS Puma-1 Mu. 2o, 1934 UNITED STA ELECTRICAL SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR ELEVATORS Charles E. Hammell, Red Bank, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the Honesdale National Bank, Honesdale, Pa.

Application December/7, 1922, Serial No. 605,358

34 Claims.

This invention relates to an electrical signaling system for elevators and more particularly, concerns that type or class of elevator signaling systems wherein an operators signal lamp is carried by each of the elevator cars and in which passenger signal lamps for each hatchway are also arranged upon the various iloors of the building and operated by suitable push buttons whereby the intending passenger may cause the circuit of the operators lamp and the floor lamp to be closed as the elevator approaches the noor whereon the passenger is waiting. Examples of such an elevator signaling system may be seen in the Letters Patent vof Armstrong and Atler, No. 499,411, granted June 13, 1893 and also in the Letters Patent of Smalley and Reiners, numbered 634,220 and 826,752, granted October 3, 1899 and July 24, 1906, respectively. Elevator signaling systems of the character shown in said patents, as well as my present improvements thereon may be used in conjunction with bells, buzzers, loud speakers or other signaling devices in lieu of electric lights.

Generically considered, my present improvements provide an automatic zoning system particularly applicable to elevator signaling whereby a bank of elevator cars, regardless of number, may be caused to depart 'from and arrive at the main floor of a building more nearly in accordance with a predetermined time schedule than has heretofore been possible and at the same time obviate delay, annoyance and inconvenience to passengers. Among the numerous objects and advantages of this zoning system the following may be mentioned:

' (a) To materially aid in maintaining the operation of the elevator cars on schedule time and in'proper rotation and prevent a car which is behind its schedule from picking up all of the passengers and allowing the other cars tofollow closely down or up the hatchways and arrive at the terminal floor with few or no passengers.

, (b) To prevent more than one elevator receiving signals for the same floor at approximately the same time, as is frequently the case with signaling systems now in use when two or more cars are traveling close together in the same direction.

(c) To prevent two or more cars from giving signals in the same direction on the same floor and approximately at the same time which occasions conside'rable confusion to waiting passengers as to which of the approaching cars may first arrive at the oor landing.

(d) To close the circuit of the passenger signal lamp on a oor when the car stops to let off a passenger and thereby indicate the direction the car is traveling in the hatchway without ne cessitating the operation of the signal push button by an intending passenger, said lamp remaining lighted until the car leaves the oor.

(e) To prevent another car in the series from breaking the circuit and extinguishing the waiting passenger signal lamp when a car is standing at a iloor.

(f) To provide an automatically operated zoning system whereby when any two cars in a series traveling in the same direction arrive at a predetermined distance from eachother in the respective hatchways, the operators and the floor signal lamps of the advance car will be cut out of the signaling circuit and the signals transferred to the iloor and signal lamps of the rear vfollowing car, thus allowing the advance car to proceed without stopping at the oor and thus pass out the zone, or on the other hand, energize a signal lamp in the advance elevator car to inform the operator that another car is approaching from the same direction.

(g) When a car is stationary at a floor landing, a following car traveling in the same direc-- tion will not break the signaling circuit and put out the waiting passenger signal of the standing car, nor, on the other hand, will the following car receive any signal within the car or close the circuit of the waiting passenger signal lamp for said car on the floor at which the advance car is standing. r

With the above and other objects in View, the invention may be said to consist in the improved Zone signaling system for elevators and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of the apparatus employed as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and subsequently pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated one adaptation of the present improvements and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 diagrammatically illustrates the essentials of the apparatus employed and-the wiring connections therefor in the signaling circuit employing setting and re-setting magnets;

Figure 2 illustrates a modification of the invention showing how the same zone signaling system may be operated by the use of a single magnet for each car; and f Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing a series Qi three Cars with the signals for cars 1 and 3 connected in the circuit, while the signals for car 2 are disconnected.

In Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings much of the circuit wiring which will be obvious from Figure 1, has been omitted in the interest of clarity.

In Figure 1 of the drawings I have illustrated the commutator segments, brushes and wiring fora series of elevator cars which are all going down in their respective hatchways. Of course, it is apparent that by mere multiplication, the invention which I shall now describe, can be applied to a bank of elevators having any number of cars. As herein illustrated, the position of the traveling commutator brushes relative to the respective series of zone segments indicates that car No. 1 is located at the rst floor, car No. 2 is located at the fifth floor and car No. 3 is located at the eighth floor. Obviously if an intending passenger on the fourth oor wishing to go down, operates the down signal button on that floor causing the down signal lamp for the fourth floor to be illuminated, with the systems now in use, car No. 2 being the nearest oar to the fourth floor would receive such signal and stop to take on the passenger. While car No. 2 is taking on the passenger at the fourth floor, car No. 3 which was at the eighth floor and is also coming down would have almost caught up with car No. 2 by the time it is ready to leave the fourth door. Now if an intending passenger on the third floor wishing to go down operates the down push button giving a down signal, both cars Nos. 2 and 3 would receive the signal and both down passenger signals on the fourth floor would light and the waiting passenger would become confused as to which car he should take. No. 2 car being slightly in advance of No. 3 would stop rst and take on the passenger and the operator of No. 3 car not observing that he was so close to No. 2 car would also stop and not finding any passenger on the third floor would believe he had received a false signal and would proceed to the main terminal floor and arrive there possibly ahead of car No. 3. It is apparent that such conditions result in the cars making a number of unnecessary stops, changes the order of their arrival and departure from the terminal floors and results in more or less confusion both to the passengers and to the car operators.

In order to remedy this condition I, therefore provide an adjustable zoning system so that when a car gets behind its schedule, as car No. 2 above referred to, and another car is also proceeding in the same direction closely behind, 'as car No. 3, so that the latter car gets within the zone or a predetermined distance of car No. 2, car No. 2 will not receive any more signals or cause the waiting passenger signal lamp on the floor landlng to be illuminated, but such signals will be automatically transferred to the next following car in the same direction, as in the present instance to car No. 3 and allow car No. 2 to proceed without stopping at the floor landings until car No. 2 has so far advanced that it is out of the zone of car No. 3.

In Figure 1 of the drawings the zone signal segments for each of the three elevator cars for the down side of each commutator are designated `1D to 8D, respectively, while the zone signal segments for the up side of each commutator are designated 1U to 8U respectively, the numeral in each case representing the floor for which the segment is wired in the signaling circuit, as for instance 2D is for the second floor down segment and 4U is for the fourth floor up segment. All of the segments for the same floor on the several commutators are electrically connected to each other, as for example, segment 3D on the commutator for car No. 1 is connected to the seg-4 ment 3D on the commutators for cars Nos. 2 and 3. These wiring connections I have indicated at 1 to 8 respectively.

The reset magnet coils for the signals o! each car are indicated at l0 and constitute part of the zone relay. The magnet coils 11 also constitute parts of the zone relay which operates to disconnect the signals for the particular car whereby such signals may be transferred to the following car.

The commutators may be of any well known type, such for instance as that shown in the patents above referred to, and include a horizontally traveling insulated frame 12 which carries a series of brushes making contact with the segments of the respective commutators. The brushes are suitably mounted for adjustment upon the frame so that they may be moved or shifted longitudinally in either direction to lengthen or shorten the zone, as desired. The usual throw-over mechanism is provided for making and breaking contact between the brushes'and segments at one side or the other of the commutators, depending upon the direction in which the elevator has been traveling. 'I'hus for instance when the elevator car is going down the brushes at the down side of the commutator frame are in contact with the down segments. When however, the car starts to travel upwardly the commutator frame and the brushes are thrown over and the brushes on one side of the frame disengaged from the down segments while the brushes at the opposite side of the frame are engaged with the up segments. However, in order to adapt my present invention to a commutator of the type wherein the brushes have contact with both the up 'and down segments at'the same time, it is only necessary to break the connection between the brushes at opposite sides of the commutator either electrically or mechanically so that the current will then be carried only through the segments having contact with the brushes on the side of the commutator corresponding to the direction the car is traveling. In the accompanying drawings the brushes of the commutator designated by the numeral 13 are the advance or sending brushes and send signaling-current to all the corresponding segments of the other commutators that a car is so many feet or floors in the rear and is about to' approach. vThe brushes 14 of the respective commutators are the rear or receiving brushes which receive the signal or current by engagement with the interconnected segments when a car is appreaching in the same direction so many feet or floors distant and automatically cuts out the signals of the car in advance. 'I'hese brushes 13 and 14 as above stated, may be properly adjusted in spaced relation with each other so as to determine the length of the zone within which two cars must be in order for the signals of the advance car to be automatically transferred to the following car in the zone.

The third set of brushes 15 of each commutator are the restoring brushes and operate to restore the zone relay by engagement with the interconnected segment that the advance brush 13 on some other commutator is making contact with so that the advance car can receive signals from the floor after it has passed out of the zone of another car.

One of the advance brushes 13 of each com-- mutator is connected to the positive side of a low voltage current line as represented by the line wire 16 and therefore puts positive current in the corresponding'segments of the several commutators representing the same floor. As noted, all of the commutators have a rear brush and in the event that this rear brush 14 comes into contact with a zone segment corresponding to the segment with which the advance brush of another car is making contact, the zone magnet coil of the commutator on'which the rear brush has made Contact will be energized, and cause the signals of the advance car to be disconnected and remain disconnected until the restoring zone brush 15 on this car comes into contact with a zone segment corresponding to that with which the advance brush of the commutator of the following car is in contact, such action completing the circuit and energizing the zone reset magnet which causes the signals of the advance car to be again connected in the circuit. In other words, in order for the zone relay to disconnect the signais on a car, an advance brush on one commutator energizes the commutator segment corresponding to the segment with which the rear brush of the commutator of another car is engaged so that the latter picks up and completes the circuit.

The magnet coils 10 and l1 of each commutator are connected to the negative current supply wire 17 by the wires 18. As shown in Figure l, the brush 13 of the commutator for car No. 3 being connected to the current supply wire 16 and making contact with the down zone segment 5D of the commutator causes positive current to be supplied through the cross-connecting wire 5 which puts live current into all of the commutator segments 5D. The brush 14 of the commutator for car No. 2 being also engaged with the segment 5D of said commutator carries the current through wire 19 to the magnet coil 11. This magnet coil being connected by wire 18 to the negative line wire 17 is thus energized so that it pulls down one end of the pivoted arm 20 to a substantially horizontal position. The other end of the arm 20 is thus raised which disconnects suitable contacts indicated at 21 and thereby breaks the circuit and cuts out the signals for car No. 2. When the arm 20 is operated as just explained, the free end of the pivoted armature arm 22 of the magnet coil 10 drops over the end of the arm 20 and thereby prevents any of the contacts 2l again coming into engagement after the circuit of the magnet 11 has been broken when the commutator brushes pass on to other zone segments of the respective commutators.

Car No. 2 will not receive any more signals until the magnet coil 10 is energized and the arm 22 drawn to the core of the magnet, thus allowing the outer end of arm 20 to drop by gravity so that the contacts 21 will again be closed. The coil 10 is energized by the brush l5 which is connected to said coil by a wire 23 coming in contact with an interconnected segment that brush 13 on some other commutator is engaged with such as 5D on commutator 3. As these brushes 13 are connected with the positive side of the supply circuit, the circuit will thus be completed to energize the magnet coil 10 whereby the circuit for the signal lamps of the car No. 2 is again made through the engagement of the contacts 21. After the zone relay has cut out the signals of car No. 2, said signals will remain cut out as long as the car remains in the zone of car No. 3. However, when car No. 2 reaches the terminal floor it will automatically cut in its own signals by the advance brush 13 coming in contact with a segment 24 which is connected to the magnet coil 10 by wires 25 and 26. When the car is at rest at the terminal oors brush 14 has passed from and is not making a connection with any of the floor zone segments 1U to 8U or 1D to 8D.

In Figure 2 of the drawings I have represented the three cars going downwardly and in the same location in the respective hatchways, as in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Also, while most of the wiring has been omitted from Fig. 2 for the sake of clearness, it is to be understood that the several commutator segments are cross-connected with each other in the same manner as shown in Fig. l. In Fig. 2, however, I use but a single zone relay magnet instead of the two magnet coils for each commutator shown in Fig. 1 and employ a somewhat diiIerent arrangement of the brushes on the moving commutator frames. In Figure 2 as long as the signals are out of service the magnet4 coils are energized. In this embodiment of the invention, as illustrated, the traveling commutator frames are provided with brushes designated 27 to 38 inclusive for the down zone signals and with the brushes designated 39 to 50 inclusive for the up zone signals, only one series of brushes making contact at a time in the particular type of apparatus herein disclosed where the commutators rne of the usual throw-over censtruction. Brushes 27, 31, 35, 39, 3 and 47 are the advance or sending brushes while brushes 28 to S0, 32 to 34, 36 to 38, 40 to 42, 44 i0 46 and 48 to 50 are the rear or receiving brushes. The zone relay coils are indicated at 51, 52 and 53 respectively with the zone relay for car No. 2 in position with the signals cut out, while the zone relays for cars Nos. 1 and 3 are in position with the signals cut in and operating. However, in order to adapt the system to a case where the brushes make contact on both the up and down segments of the commutator at the same time, it is only necessary to break the connections either electrically or mechanically between the brushes that make contact with the down segments and the brushes that make contact with the up segments.

When car No. 3 is comingr down in its hatchway and gets within a predetermined distance, say three oors of car No. 2, the zone relay 52 is energized and cuts out the signals of car No. 2 by raising the core 52 due to positive current from the supply line 16 passing through wire 54 to the advance brush 35 which is passing over the zone segment 5D of car No. 3 which is crossconnected to the corresponding zone segments of the other commutators. Thus current is furnished through the cross-connecting line to segment 5D of commutator for car No. 2 and as long as any one of the receiving brushes 32, 33 or 34 is passing over A=he 5D segment, zone relay 52 will be energized and the signals for car No. 2 will be cut out, as shown in the present instance by the receiving brush 34 making contact with the 5D zone segment which supplies the current to the zone relay coil, the other end of the said zone relay coil being connected to the negative supply line 17 by the wire 55. Just as soon as all of the receiving brushes 32, 33 and 34 have passed off of the zone segments 5D, zone relay 52 will be deenergized and the signals for car No. 2 will again be connected.

In Figure 3 of the drawings wherein I have illustrated only the down side of the signaling apparatus and wiring connections for three elevator cars, (the up side being similar) the operation thereof may be described as follows when signals are connected.

Assuming that a passenger on the 4th oor desires to descend, he operates the down push button which I have indicated at B and this causes the down set magnet 56 to be energized thereby operating the armature 57 and allowing the reset magnet armature 58 to drop down and close the circuit between the contacts 59 and 60. The closing of the circuit puts current in the mercury pot segment 4M of all of the commutators. Each commutator carries a set of brushes, the brushes for car No. 2 being designated 61 to 66 inclusive, these brushes being arranged upon the down side of the traveling commutator frame. These brushes supply the current from the mercury pot segments to the waiting passenger lamp segments, in the present instance, the current being supplied to the passenger lamp segment 4L. The lamp segment is connected to the waiting passenger signal lamp on the oor, in the instance being described, the down lamp 67 on the 4th floor for car No. 2 being lighted. This lamp will stay lit as long as there is a connection between the mercury pot segment 4M and the lamp segment 4L when a signal has been given for the 4th floor down.

When car No. 2 is traveling down in its hatchway and arrives within a predetermined distance above the 4th floor, say two and one-half floors away, the brush 61 engages with segment 4M which supplies current t3 brush 62 when the contact is in closed position between contacts 74 and 75. The brush 62 supplies current through the segment 4L which lights the oor lamp 67. As the car continues its downward travel, brushes 6l and 62 pass off of the segments 4M and 4L respectively, and the brushes 63 and 64 bec ome engaged with the segments 4M and 4L and are in turn electrically connected through the medium of contacts 72 and 73 engaged by the contact plate 79. As long as said plate 79 is engaged with contacts 73 and 72, the floor lamp 67 on the 4th fiocr will remain illumined. While the brushes 63 and 64 are passing over the segments 4M and 4L, the car operators signal lamp 68 is illuminated as the current from the brushes 63 and 64 also is conducted through wire 81 to lamp 68 which remains energized as long as the brushes 63 and 64 are engaged with said segments 4M and 4L. As the brushes 63 and 64 pass all of said segments, the brushes 65 and 66 will respectively engage the segments 4M and 4L and the flcor lamp 67 will still remain energized by engagement of the contact plate 78 with contacts 70 and 71. When the elevator finally reaches the 4th iioor, the brushes 65 and 66 are in contact with the segments 4M and 4L, but by this time the brush 90 which has also continued its travel is engaged with the segment 4R and as soon as the elevator stops at the 4th floor, the governor control switch 84 connects a circuit between the contacts 85 and 86 and 87 and 88 through the medium of contact plates 89 and resets the signals for the 4th oor.

The positive side of the low voltage supply line is carried through wires 91 and 92 so that when contact arm 93 closes the circuit between contacts 76 and 77 the current will pass through wire 94 and while the elevator is at rest and contact 89 closes the circuit between contacts 85 and 86, the current "is conducted through wires 95 and 96, to reset brush 90. While the current is supplied to this brush, the signal for the door represented by the segment with which the brush happens to be engaged will be reset. In this case the brush when engaged with the segment 4R causes the current to energize the reset coil 69, the negative side of the low voltage supply circuit being directly connected to the coil. When the reset coil 69 is thus energized it draws the reset armature to the core of the magnet thereby breaking contact between contacts 59 and 60 so that .the push button amature 57 drops over the end of the amature 58 and holds the latter from closing the circuit connection until the push button is again operated.

In Figure 3 of the drawings the signals for cars Nos. 1 and 3 are connected, but the signals for car No. 2 have been disconnected. The iollowing description of the operation of the system in connection with car No. 2, applies as well to all other cars in the series.

The zone magnet coil 1l has been energized and drawn the armature arm 20 down to the magnet core, thereby lifting the outer end of the arm 20 so as to break the connection between contacts 70 and 71, 72 and 73, 74 and 75, and 76 and 77 respectively. The brushes 61, 63 and 65 travel overv the mercury pot segments 1M to 8M while brushes 62, 64 and 66 contact with and travel overthe lamp segments 1L to 8L. In order for a signal to be given in the waiting passenger lamp while the elevator is approaching the floor, the brushes must be connected together in pairs and complete the circuit between the mercury pot segments and the lamp segments. When the zone relay has been energized the connection between brushes 61 and 62 has been broken by the disengagement oi' the circuit closing strip 80 from the contacts 74 and 75. The circuit between brushes 63 and 64 is likewise broken by lifting of the circuit closing strip 79 from engagement with the contacts 72 and 73, while the connection between brushes 65 and 66 is broken by lifting of the circuit closing strip 78 from engagement with the contacts 70 and 71. While the elevator is traveling or at rest at some floor other than that where the push button has been operated and the connection between the mercury segment brushes 61, 63 and 65 and the lamp segment brushes 62, 64 and 66 broken, no signal will be given in the waiting passenger lamp on the floor that a car is approaching and no signal will be given to the car lamp 68 that a passenger is waiting on the floor.

In the signaling system disclosed in the patent to Armstrong et al. above referred to, there is provided a segment strip the full length of the commutator for the purpose of lighting the operators signal lamp. In the present instance I do away with this strip, the operators signal lamp 68 being supplied with current from the mercury pot segment 4M which is energized by a down signal being connected with the fourth floor, said segment being engaged by the brush 63 carrying current through the zone relay contacts 72 and 73 with which the arm 79 is engaged, to the lamp segment brush 64. the current being conducted through wire 81 to the lamp 68, which lamp is connected to the opposite or negative side of the circuit by, the wires 82 and 83, thus lighting the lamp and giving the desired signal. A suitable device either electrical or mechanical, such as that indicated at 84, is provided to maintain a closed circuit while the elevator is at rest but which will operate to automatically open the circuit upon movement or the elevator. In the present instance I have shown this device in the form of a centrifugal governor, but it will be understood that any other equivalent means may be provided for this purpose. This governor operates to break the circuit connection between spaced pairs of contact points 85 and 86, 87 and 88, respectively, the circuit closing plate 89 being engaged with said contacts only when the elevator is at rest and being automatically lifted from engagement with the contacts as soon as the car is set in motion.

The commutator segments 1R to 8R are the reset segments and when energized restore the signal given for any fioor to its normal condition. The reset brush 90 is carried by the same moving commutator frame as the brushes 61 to 66 and is so arranged with respect to the brushes 63 and 64 that just as soon as the latter pass or the mercury segment and lamp segment for any particular floor, for instance, the segments 4M and 5L, brushes 65 and 66 become engaged and the resettingl brush 90 will then make contact with the reset segment 4R and as soon as the car stops the signal is thereby restored to its normal condition by positive current from the line passing through contact point 76 and wires 91 and 92 so that when the circuit closing member 93 is engaged with contacts 76 and 77, the current is conducted through line 94 and when the car comes to a stop the circuit closing plate 89 thus closes the circuit between the contacts 85 and 86 and energizes the reset brush 90 through the wires 95 and 96. Thus current is supplied to the reset segment 4R thereby furnishing current to the reset magnet 69 and disconnecting the down signal for the 4th floor. But should the car fail to come to a stop, then the circuit closing plate 89 will not close the circuit between the contacts 85 and 86, so that the signal will not be restored but is left on for the next car approaching in the same direction.

Since car No. 2 is in the zone in advance of the zone occupied by car No. 3 the zone relay has been energized and no signals are given to car No. 2 and therefore, if car No. 2 shouldstop at the 5th floor landing, closing the circuit between contacts 85 and 86, the signals would not be restored as the zone relay has opened the reset circuit by breaking the connection between the contacts 76 and 77 by the circuit closing member 93 which khas been raised or lifted from engagement with said contacts.

Another important advantage possessed by my present improvements over the old signaling systems is that the direction indicating lamp on the floor landing is automatically lighted when the car stops without requiring the operation of the push button by an intending passenger. The direction indicating lamp will light only when the car comes to a stop and not when it passes a oor landing without stopping. As shown in Figure 3 of the drawings this is accomplished by the positive side of the current supply line indicated at 97 furnishing current to the contact 87 through wire 98 so that when the elevator stops, the circuit closing plate 89 will engage contacts 87 and 88 and close, the circuit between said contacts thus supplying current to the rear lantern brush 66 of the commutator to which contact 88 is connected by wire-99. This brush making contact with the lantern segment corresponding to the oor at which the elevator is stopped, in the present instance the 5th floor, supplies current to the direction indicating lamp through the wire 100, said lamp remaining illumined until the elevator leaves the oor when plate 89 is lifted to break the circuit between contacts 87 and 88. The return circuit of the floor lamp 67 is connected to the negative current supply wire 101 by the wires 102, 82 and 83.

When a. car has received a signal and has stopped at a oor landing, say car No. 2, and another car, as car No. 3, is approaching in the same direction and gets near enough to car No. 2, so that the zone relay of the latter car is energized through the commutator connections to car No. 3, such energization of the zone relay of car No. 2 will not in any way interfere with the direction indicating signal on the floor at which car N o. 2 is stationed. Thus as seen in Figure 3, when car No. 3 approaches car No. 2 close enough to energize zone relay coil 11, the connection between the contacts and 71 is broken by the lifting of the member 78. As long as car No. 2 remains stationary at the floor landing, the direction indicating floor lamp will, however, remain illuminated since this lamp 6'7 is connected to the negative supply line 101 and the connection to the positive side of the circuit is made through wires 98 and 99 and contacts 87 and 88. Thus it will be seen that regardless of the positions of other cars in the series in their respective shafts, the direction indicating floor lamp of the shaft in which the car has been stopped at the floor landing will not be interfered with or its circuit interrupted.

In each of the elevator cars, I provide what is known as a transfer button indicated at 103. This button is in the form of a two-pole switch and transfers the signals from one car to another. When this switch is opened, the circuit of the direction indicating lamp on the floor landing and of the car operators signal 68 are broken so that these lamps will not light. The circuit to the advance brush 13 for the zone relay is broken so when the signals are cut out on any car it will not interfere with the signals on the other cars. The circuit of the reset brush 90 is also broken so that the signals will not be reset and therefore, the nearest car approaching the floor landing in the same direction will receive the signals.

From the above description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the manner of operation and several advantages of my improved signaling system for elevators may be fully understood. It will be seen that the new system obviates the more or less serious objections to the signaling systems disclosed by the prior patents above referred to and which are today in general use. By providing for the automatic control of the several signal circuits in accordance with the relative positions of the elevator cars in the respective hatchways, it is possible to operate the elevators more nearly in accordance with a predetermined time schedule than is now the case. Also, the length of time in which the elevator cars will remain stationary at the different floor landings to take on passengers is considerably reduced owing to the fact that the improved signaling system operates to eliminate delays which have heretofore occurred due to the simultaneous lighting of the direction indicating iloor lamps at the several hatchways which resulted in confusing the intending passengers who were unable to determine which car would first arrive at the iioor landing. Obviously, therefore, the passengers were not in position to immediately enter the car upon the opening of the gate. It will thus be seen that my present invention will satisfactorily operate to materially decrease the possibility of such confusion and delays in the operation of a bank or series of elevators such as constitute the usual equipment of modern oflice buildings. At the same time, it is to be observed that my 'improvements contemplate no radical departures from the structural features of apparatus now generally employed in connection with elevator signaling systems so that the expense incident to the installation and maintenance of the new system will not be very materially greater than that incident to the use of the existing systems, such for instance as those illustrated in the patents of the prior art to which I have herein referred. It will be understood that in carrying out the present improvements any approved or preferred mounting and arrangement of the commutator brushes and the several series of circuit closing plate segments which together constitute the commutator of each elevator car may be employed. The invention is likewise manifestly susceptible of various modifications in its several mechanical and electrical features above referred to, and it willA therefore accordingly be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all such alternative embodiments of the present disclosure as may be fairly considered within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: Y

1. In an elevator signaling system for a series of cars in separate hatchways serving a plurality of floors, having an electrical operators signal in each car and an electrical signal on each iioor for each car, circuits for said signals, and passenger operated switches for closing said circuits; means in said circuits including circuit making and breaking devices operatively controlled by' the respective cars and operating, when a passenger switch is closed and when two of the cars arrive within a predetermined distance of each other while travelling in the same direction, to break the circuit connection of the operators signal for the advance car and simultaneously close the connection for the operators signal of the rear car.

2. In an elevator signaling system for a series of cars in separate hatchways serving a plurality of floors, said system having an electrical signal carried by each car and an electrical signal at each floor for the respective hatchways, circuits for said signals, a car controlled commutator for each car, said commutators including electrically cross-connected means, a zone relay for each car, means connecting the commutators to the relays and operating when two elevator cars approach within a predetermined vertical distance of each other in the hatchways to prevent closing of the circuits of the operators signal and the iioor signal for the advance car while closing such circuits for the rear car.

3. In an elevator signaling system having an operators signal in each car, a car controlled commutator for each car, circuits for said signals each having a passenger's push button therein, said commutators having electrically cross-connected means, a zone relay for each car, means connecting the commutators to said relays and automatically operating when two elevator cars approach within a predetermined vertical distance of each other to prevent closing of the circuit for the operators signal in the advance car and permit closing of the circuit for the operators signal of the rear car when the passenger's button is operated.

4. In an elevator signaling system for a series of cars in separate hatchways serving a plurality of iloors, said system having .a passenger signal and circuit therefor at each of the floor landings of each of the hatchways, manually operable means at each floor landing for closing a break in the respective signal circuits, a car controlled 'commutator for each elevator car, said commutators including electrically cross-connected means, and a zone relay for each car directly wired to the brushes of the respective commutators automatically operating when two cars approach within a predetermined vertical distance of each other in the respective hatchways to prevent the closing of a second break in the circuit for the iioor signal of the advance car while closing the circuit of the door signal for the rear car.

5. In an elevator signaling system for a series of cars in separate hatchways serving a plurality of iioors, said system having a passenger signal and circuit therefor at each of the floor landings of each of the hatchways, manually operable means at each floor landing for closing a break in the respective signal circuits, a commutator for each elevator car, saidcommutators including electrically cross-connected means, and a zone relay for each car directly wired to the brushes of the respective commutators automatically op erating when two cars approach within a predetermined vertical distance of each other in the respective hatchways to prevent the closing of a second break in the circuit for the floor signal of the advance car while permitting of the closing of the circuit of the floor signal for the rear car, and means operable by stopping of the car at a floor shunting said manually operable means for closing the circuit tothe iloor signal for that oor.

6. In an electrical elevator signaling system for a series of cars in separate hatchways serving a plurality of floors, said system having passenger signals at each of the floor landings of each hatchway, circuits for said signals manually operable means for closing a break in the circuit for each of the signals on a floor indicating the movement of the elevator cars in one direction, a commutator for each elevator car, said commutators having electrically cross-connected means, and a zone relay for each car directly wired to the brushes of the respective commutators automati cally operating to close a second break in the respective floor signal circuits when a car approaches within a predetermined distance of the floor and means electrically connected with the commutators for shunting said manually operable circuit closing means and maintaining said signal circuit closed while a car is stationary at the oor landing.

7. In an elevator signaling system for a series of cars in separate hatchways serving a plurality of floors, said system having direction indicating signals at the floor landings of each hatchway, circuits for said signals, manually operable devices for closing a break in the signaling circuits,

a commutator for each car, said commutators v 8. In an elevator signaling system for a series of cars in separate hatchways serving a plurality of floors, said system having an electrical directionvindicating signal at each floor for the respective hatchways, circuits for said signals, passenger operated push buttons in said circuits, a commutator for each elevator car electrically connected in the floor signal circuit and a zone relay for each car electrically connected with the brushes of the respective commutators and spective hatchway, circuits for said signals and an operators signal carried by each car, interconnected circuits for said signals including a car controlled commutator for each car having a series of zone contact segments and a passenger controlled relay including additional commutator segments and brushes to engage said segments, and a zone relay for each elevator electrically connected with the brushes of the respective commutators and operating when two of the elevators arrive within a predetermined distance from each other while traveling in the same direction in the respective hatchways to break the circuit connection between the signals and the passenger controlled relay for the advance car and thereby prevent said car from receiving a false signal.

10. In an elevator signaling system for a series of cars in separate hatchways serving a plurality of floors, said system having a direction indicating signal at each floor for the respective hatchways and an operators signal carried by each car, circuits for said signals and passenger switches on each floor for closing said circuits, a car controlled commutator for each car in the respective circuits and having a series of circuit closing contacts and brushes to engage therewith, whereby the floor and car signals are energized when the passengers switches are operated, and an additional switch for each car automatically operated independently of the commutator and passenger actuated switch arranged in the circuits for the floor signals of the respective hatchways and operating when a car is stopped at a floor landing to supply current to one of the commutator brushes independently of the passenger actuated switch and thereby maintain a closed circuit through the direction indicating signal at said iloor landing.

11. In an elevator signaling system having electrical direction indicating signals at each floor for the respective hatchways, circuits therefor and passenger operated switches for closing said circuits, and independent car controlled switches in said circuits operating automatically when a car is stopped at a floor landing to shunt said passenger operated switch and close the circuit to the floor signal for that floor.

12. In an elevator signaling system having electrical direction indicating signals at each oor for the respective hatchways, circuits for said signals and passenger operated switches in said circuits, and means for closing said circuits independently of the passenger operated switches, said means including a governor switch for each car operatively controlled thereby and maintained in open circuit position while the car is in motion, said switch automatically closing when the car stops at a floor landing and shunting said passenger operated switch for closing the circuit to the floor signal for that floor.

13. In an elevator signal system for a plurality of cars dispatched from terminal floors at relatively diiferent times, individual landing signals for the cars, signal circuits for the respective cars, car-controlled switch means individual to said cars for completing the landing signal circuit for the corresponding car and means operable upon the establishment of any one of the signal circuits for an intermediate landing to open all other ,landing signal circuits for that landing and to maintain said other circuits open during the time such first circuit is maintained established.

14.` In an elevator signal system for a plurality of cars dispatched from terminal floors at relatively different times, individual landing signals for the cars, signal circuits and car-controlled switches for therespective cars for completing the landing signal circuit for the corresponding car, normally closed means interposed in said signal circuits, interconnecting means between said carcontrolled switches and said normally closed means, whereby when one of said signal circuits for any intermediate door is closed all other signal circuits for that floor are open.

15. In a signal system for a plurality of cars dispatched from terminal floors at relatively different times, individual landing signals for the cars, signal circuits and car-controlled switches for the respective cars for completing the signal circuits for the corresponding car, and means operable upon the completion by a car-controlled switch of the intermediate landing signal circuits for any car for holding open the corresponding circuits for the other cars.

16. In an elevator signal system for a plurality of cars dispatched from terminal oors at relatively different times, individual landing signals for said cars,signal circuits therefor, a plurality of car controlled switches one for each of the respective cars for completing the circuits corresponding to that car, normally closed means interposed in said signal circuits, means operable upon completion of any one of the intermediate landing signal circuits for one car to open the corresponding circuits for all other cars, said circuit-opening means being also operable on the opening of said circuit to restore the circuitopening means in all the other signal circuits to normally closed position.

17. In an elevator signal system for a plurality of cars dispatched from terminal floors at relatively different times, individual car signals, circuits therefor, car-controlled switches for the respective cars for completing the signal circuits for the corresponding car, normally closed circuit-opening means interposed in the car signal circuits, means electrically inter-connecting all of said circuit-opening means, whereby upon establishment of any one of said car signal circuits for an intermediate landing, by one of the car control switches the circuit opening means operate to open the corresponding signal circuits for all of the other cars and maintain said other circuits open while said one circuit remains established.

18. In an elevator signal system for a plurality of cars, dispatched from terminal floors at relatively diiferent times, individual car signals, circuits therefor, car-controlled switches for the respective cars for completing the signal circuits for the corresponding car, normally closed circuit-opening means interposed in the car signal circuits, means electrically interconnecting all of said circuit-opening means, whereby upon establishment of any one of said car signal circuits for an intermediate landing by one of the car control switches the circuit opening means operate to open the corresponding signal circuits for all oi the other cars, and maintain said other circuits open while said one circuit remains established, said circuit-opening means being also operable upon the breaking of said iirst circuit after establishment thereof to restore the circuit-opening means in all the other car signal circuits to normally closed position.

19. In an elevator signal system for a plurality of cars dispatched from terminal oors at relatively different times, individual landing signals, individual car signals, signal circuits for said landing signals and said car signals, a plurality of car-controlled switches corresponding to the respective cars, each of said switches controlling the closure of a normally open break in the signal circuit corresponding to that car, electrically interconnected normally closed circuitopening means also interposed in said signal circuits, said means being operable upon the establishment of a signal circuit for an intermediate landing corresponding to any one of said cars to open the corresponding landing signal circuits and car signal circuits for all the other cars and to maintain said circuits open while said first circuit remains established.

20. In an elevator signal system for a plurality of cars dispatched from terminal floors at relatively different times, individual landing signals, individual car signals, signal circuits for said landing signals and said car signals, a plurality of car-controlled switches corresponding to the respective cars, each of said switches controlling the closure of a normally open break in the signal circuit corresponding to that car, electrically interconnected normally closed circuit-opening means also interposed in said signal circuits, said means being operable upon the establishment of a signal circuit for an intermediate landing corresponding to any one of said cars to open the corresponding landing signal circuits and car signal circuits for all the other cars and to maintain said circuits open while said first circuit remains established, said circuit opening means being also operable upon the breaking of said rst circuit after it is established to restore the circuit-opening means in the signal circuits corresponding to all the other cars to normally closed condition.

21. In an elevator signal system for a plurality of cars serving a plurality of oors and dispatched from terminal floors at relatively difierent times, individual signals for each of said cars for each floor, electric circuits including said signals, a car controlled switching means for each car operable in accordance with movements of the car for closing the circuit to the signals for that car for the oor corresponding to the position of the car, and means operable by the establishment of the signal cricuit for any intermediate licor for one car to open the signal circuits for all other cars for that oor and to maintain said circuits open during the time such rst circuit is established.

22. In an elevator signal system for a plurality of cars, each serving a plurality of floors and dispatched from terminal oors at relatively diierent times, individual signals for each car for each door, a circuit for each signal, means at each intermediate iioor common to the signals for all cars for that oor operable by a prospective passenger to prepare circuits to. all signals for that floor, car controlled switching means for each car operable in accordance with movements of the car for completing the previously prepared circuits for that car upon approach of the car to a signaled floor, and means operable by the competion of the circuit for the signal of any car for any intermediate oor for opening the signal circuits for all other cars for that oor and maintaining said circuits open during completion of said first circuit.

23. In an elevator signal system for a plurality of cars serving a plurality of floors and dispatched from terminal floors at relatively different times, individual signals for each of said cars for each floor, electric circuits for said signals, a car controlled switching means for each car operable in accordance with movements of the car for closing the circuit to the signals for that car for an intermediate floor corresponding to the position of the car, and magnetically operable switching means in said circuits and operable by the establishment of the signal circuit for any intermediate oor for any car to render inoperative the signals of the other cars for that iioor and to maintain said signals inoperative during the time the rst circuit is established.

24. In an elevator signaling system, a plurality of cars each serving a plurality of floors, individual landing signals at each floor for each car for indicating the direction of movement of said cars, controlling means including passenger controlled means at each floor common to all cars for preparing said signals for energization, car controlled means individual to said cars and operable by and in accordance with movements of the associated car and cooperating with an operated passenger controlled means for energizing the signal for said car upon approach of said car to the signaled floor, means cooperating with said car controlled means and operable in response to some act performed incident to the loading or discharge of passengers on a car at any floor for operating the landing signal at such iloor for that car and for restoring to non-signaling condition the passenger controlled means at such floor if in signal preparing position.

25. In an elevator signaling system, a plurality of cars each serving a plurality of oors, individual landing signals at each oor for each car for indicating the direction of movement of said cars, controlling means including passenger controlled means at each floor, common to all cars, for preparing said signals for energization, car controlled means individual to said cars and operable by and in accordance with movements of the associated car and cooperating with an operated passenger controlled means for energizing the signal for said car upon approach of said car to the signal oor, means individual to said cars for controlling the movements of its associated car, and means cooperating with said car controlled means and operable in response to movement of said car controlling means to a position to stop the car at any floor for operating the landing signal for such iioor and for restoring to non-signaling condition the passenger controlled means at such iioor if in signal preparing position.

26. In an elevator signaling system, a plurality of cars each serving a plurality of oors, individual landing signals at each floor for each car for 4als indicating the direction of movementl of said cars, controlling means including passenger controlled means at each oor common to all cars for preparing said signals for energization, car controlled means individual to said cars and operable by and in accordance with movements of the associated car and cooperating with an operated passenger controlled means for energizing the signal for said car upon approach of said car to signaled iloor, means cooperating with said car controlled means and operable in response to some act performed incident to the loading or discharge of passengers on a car at any floor for operating the landing signal at such floor for that car and for restoring to non-signaling condition the passenger controlled means at such floor if in signal preparing position and for maintaining said passenger controlled means inoperative until the car has left the floor.

27. In an elevator signaling system, oor signals, indicating the direction of movement of the car, operating mechanism for said floor signals comprising car controlled switches and circuits extending from the floors to said floor signals including said car controlled switches, means for closing said circuits comprising passenger operated signal devices at the respective iloors, and means for closing said circuits independently of said passengers signal devices when the car is stopped at the floor landing.

28. In an elevator signaling system, cars equipped with car signals and landing signals, a passengers signaling device, car controlled circuits for operating said car and landing signals in response to said signaling device, and means controlled by a following car for disabling the car controlled circuits of a leading car.

29. In an elevator signaling system, cars equipped with car signals and landing signals. a passengers signaling device, car controlled circuits for operating said car and landing signals in response to said signaling device, and a relay operable under the control of a following car for opening the circuits of a leading car.

30. In a control system for a bank of elevators operable over a path between a plurality of floors, a plurality of elevator cars, means dividing said path into zones of operation, each zone including a plurality of adjacent floors, call means at said floors common to all of said cars, means for registering said calls, and means operable by the entry of more than one of said cars into any of said zones for rendering all but one of said cars ineffective to receive registered calls in that zone.

31. In a control system for a bank of elevators operable over a path between a plurality of floors, a plurality of cars, means dividing said path into zones of operation, each zone including a plurality of adjacent floors, call means at said floors common to all of said cars, means for registering said calls', and means operable by the entry of more than one of said cars into any of said zonesy for rendering only the last car entering said zone effective to receive said calls.

32. In a control system for a bank of elevators operable over a path between a plurality of iloors, a plurality of elevator cars, means dividing said path into zones of operation, each zone including a plurality of adjacent floors, call means at said floors common to all of said cars, means for registering said calls, and means operable by the entry of more than one of said cars into any of said zones for rendering the first car ineffective to receive said registered calls in that zone.

33. In an elevator signaling system, a car serving a plurality of floors, individual landing signals at each floor for said car for indicating the direction of movement of said car, controlling means including passenger controlled means at each floor for preparing said signals for energization, means operable by and in accordance with movement of said car and cooperating with an operated passenger controlled means for energizing the signal for said car upon approach of said car to the signaled iioor, and means cooperating with said last-named means and operable in response to some act performed incident to the loading or discharge of passengers at any oor for operating the landing signal at such iloor and for restoring to non-signaled condition the passenger controlled means at such floor if in signal preparing position.

34. In an elevator signaling system, a car serving a plurality of floors, individual landing signals at each floor for said car for indicating the direction of movement of said car, controlling means including passenger controlled means at each 115 floor for preparing said signals for energization, means operable by and in accordance with movement of said car an'd cooperating with an operated passenger vcontrolled means for energizing the signal for said car upon approach of said i2@ car to the signaled floor, and means cooperating with said last-named means and operable in response to some act performed incident to the loading or discharge of passengers at any floor for operating the landing signal at such oor and i5 for restoring to non-signaled condition the passenger controlled means at such floor if in signal preparing position and for maintaining said passenger controlled means inoperative until the car has left the floor.

CHARLES E. HAMMELL. 

